Share This Page

Friends Who Have Been Kind To Me: John Bisagno's Will

If ever there was a god case to throw out a will for vagueness it was the will of Joseph Bisagno. Maybe the fact that a few judges stood to collect - and did collect - had something to do with the judicial effort to breath life into this open-ended will.

Joe Bisagno was born and died in San Fransisco, California, his death occurring in 1919. When he died, it was discovered that (1) his estate was worth $350,000 in 1922 dollars and; (2) it was to be divided between, quoting now from his last will and testament, "friends who have been kind to me."

It is one thing for the law to bend over backwards, as it does, and as it should, to salvage and breath life into a will which is poorly written but the law should not, ever, breath life into a will that is so fraught with vagueness as this one. What's a friend? What is kindness?

But it happened and it happened in San Fransisco in December of 1922, under the presidency of probate judge Robinson. Tom, Dick and Harry lined up like the poor at a food kitchen during the Great Depression. Even Broadway star Marjorie Rambeau (1889-1970; pictured) showed up at the courthouse, likely all decked out, and purring the virtues of her intimate relationship with her dear friend Joe. She got $1,400.

Even Judge James G. Quinn of Oakland got $5,600.

REFERENCES:

Clubman's Will Rewards 203 Who Were Kind; Judges, Actresses and Bootlacks on His List, New York Times, December 7, 1922

LAWimage

Sort By:

The template you are linking to has no template configured yet.

Duhaime Lawisms

We must not, by any whimsical conceits supposed to be adapted to the altering fashions of the time, overturn the established law of the land. It descended to us as a sacred charge and it is our duty to preserve it.
Justice Kenyon, Clayton v Adams, (1796) 6 T.R. 605

Expand Navigation

Unless otherwise noted, this article was written by Lloyd Duhaime, Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney and Lawyer (and Notary Public!). It is not intended to be legal advice and you would be foolhardy to rely on it in respect to any specific situation you or an acquaintance may be facing. In addition, the law changes rapidly and sometimes with little notice so from time to time, an article may not be up to date. Therefore, this is merely legal information designed to educate the reader. If you have a real situation, this information will serve as a good springboard to get legal advice from a lawyer.